Collar block for shirt folding machine



May 9, 1961 w. .1. LEE

COLLAR BLOCK FOR SHIRT FOLDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 16, 1958 Wing J. Lee

INVENTOR. BY 2mm WWW 5% May 9, 1961 w, LEE

COLLAR BLOCK FOR SHIRT FOLDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1958 Wing J. L88

INVENTOR.

COLLAR BLOCK FOR SHIRT FOLDING MACHINE The present invention generally relates to a shirt folding machine and more particularly to a collar block or collar forming device for use in conjunction with a supporting surface whereby the collar may be folded and formed inthe desired manner.

. Conventional shirt folding machines normally have some mechanism for engagement with the collar for stretching and holding the collar in predetermined position generally in perpendicular relation to the main body of the shirt. After the collar has been formed, there is provided a cardboard retainer which will normally retain the shirt collar in position while the same is being returned to the person owning the same and while it is in storage ready for use. In certain laundries, the practice is considerably difierent in that the collars are normally folded down fiat substantially coplanar with i the main body of the shirt. This enables the shirts to be stacked in a substantially vertical stack and eliminates the necessity of a cardboard retainer. Since none of the present shirt folding machines provide any construction for folding shirt collars in a fiat condition, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a device for folding, forming, stretching and otherwise holding collars of a shirt in a flat condition substantially in coplanar relation to the main body thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a collar block for a shirt folding machine in which there is provided a pair of laterally movable hook members' disposed generally in spaced parallel relation to a supporting surface upon which a' shirtrests whereby the hook members will engage into the collar-adjacent opposite sides thereof whereby outward movement of the collar will stretch and form the collar and fold the same downwardly into substantially a flat condition.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a collar block in accordance with the preceding objects which is simple in construction, easy to use, well adapted for its'intend ed purposes and relatively inexpensive to'manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which: a

. Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating a supporting surface together with the collar block of the present -inven-' tion illustrating its association with a shirtcollar to actuation of the device; I

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view taken substantially, upon a plane passing along section line 2-2 of Figure 1 illustrating the details of construction of the collar block; a t

. Figure 3 is. a partial plan view illustrating the relationship of the collar block to the collar when the collar is expanded .by a collar block;

Patent 1 i Patented May 9, 1961 Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 4-4 of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a partial plan'view illustrating a modified form of the invention;

Figure 6 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 illustrating the construction of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of another modified form of the invention; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the construction of Figure 7. v

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the collar block'of the present invention which is used in conjunction with a shirt 12 having a collar 14 thereon and which also includes the usual neck band 16. The collar block 10 is associated with a supporting table surface '18 which may be of any suitable construction and which may be an integral portion of a shirt folding machine which may also include a folding board which provides a guide for folding the shirt'in a conventional manner and which forms no part of the present invention.

The supporting surface 18 is provided with a pair of transversely elongated slots 20 and 22 therein which are in transverse alignment. Disposed beneath the slots 20 and 22 and extending transversely is an elongated channel-shaped guide 24 which may be conveniently secured to the table top 18 by fasteners 26. Slidably disposed within the channel-shaped guide 24 is a pair of slide blocks or base members 28 and 30 each of which is provided with an upwardly extending arm 32 1 of the arms 34 whereby the included angle between the arms 34 and the hook-shaped members 36 is acute whereby the free ends of the hook-shaped members 36 are disposed within the collar 14 and are disposed in generally horizontal relation and spaced parallel relation to the table top surface 18.

f The bottom of the channel-shaped guide 24 is provided with a pair of slots 40 which slidably receive prior attached to an operating rod 52 secured to a suitable.

power source designated generally by the numeral 54 and may include any of afvariety of actuating mechanisms such as an air piston and cylinder arrangement, a hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement or a solenoid energized-by. electricity. Illustrated in the drawings for purpose of simplicity is a solenoid 56 having the mov-v able core 58 attached directly to the actuating rod 52. The solenoid 56 is provided with an electrical conductor 60 and a foot operated pedal or a suitable type of pedal 62 is provided below the plane of the table top 18 whereby thefifoot pedal or a remote switch mechanism may be employed to, energize and deenergize the solenoid 56 thus moving the blocks 28 and 30 outwardly away from each other with the springs 50 assuring that apredeters J mined amount of tension will be exerted on the collar for stretching and shaping the collar substantially as illustrated in Figure 3 whereby an angular crease will be defined in the collar'g'enerally. along the line engaged with the edge of the member 36 as shown in Figures 1 and 3.. Upon release of the solenoid 56 or other motivating means, the spring 46 will return the blocks 28 and 30 to an initial position;

The juncture between the hook shaped member 36 and the upwardly extending arm 32. forms an abutment for limiting the insertion of the shirt collar onto the hook shaped members 36/ While the range of movement of the hook shaped members 36 is sufiicient for all normal sized shirts, in the event an extremely large collar is encountered which sometimes occurs on blouses, sport shirts, dresses or the like, then there is provided an upstanding stop member 68 rigid with the table top surface 18 and including a resilient abutment member 70 on the surface thereof facing the hook shaped members 36 whereby the collar 14 along with the neck band 16 will be gripped between the outer edges of the hook shaped members 36 and the resilient gripping material 70 which, of course, will be constructed of a material which will not soil the shirt collar and the resilient material prevents damage to the shirt by the gripping action thereon.

Any suitable type of foot operated operating means may be provided and this may include a mechanical linkage arrangement.

Referring now specifically to Figures and 6, there is illustrated a modified form of the invention generally designated by the numeral The structural arrangement is substantially the same except that integrally and unitarily formed with each of the blocks 28 and 30' is a substantially upstanding plate 72. Each of the plates 72 extends up through the slots with the upper edge of each of the plates 72 terminating in a horizontally disposed hook portion 74 having an inclined outer edge 76 which extends in a direction substantially the same as the outer edge of the hook members 36, in the device of Figures 1-4. The inclined edge 76 cooperates with the stop members 68' in the same manner and the blocks 28 and are actuated in the same manner with the blocks 28' and 30 having recesses 78 therein receiving the spring 46' thus enabling the blocks 28' and 30" to move to an adjacent position so that the inclined edges '76 are sufficiently close in relation to each other to enable insertion of the hook portions 74 into the shirt collar for operation in the same manner as the device shown in Figures 1-4. In this construction, the upwardly extending plates 72 form an abutment or limit means for limiting the insertion of the collar and preventing the inclined edges 76 from pulling the collar in the direction of the plates 72.

Referring now specifically to Figures 7 and 8, another form of the invention is designated generally by the numeral 80 and this form of the invention is manually operable by hand from the table top surface. In this form of the invention, a bottom plate 82 is provided and a generally U-shaped cover of inverted construction designated by the numeral 84 overlies the plate 82 and is secured thereto and secured to a table top surface 86 by screw threaded fasteners 88 or an equivalent fastening means. Mounted on the table top surface 86 is a stop abutment 90 having a resilient gripping member 92 on an inclined inner surface thereof.

Extending between the cover 84 and the bottom plate 82 is a pair of pivot bolts or pins 94 to which is pivotally attached an elongated arm 96 which projects from the face of the housing 84 in generally parallel relation to the table top surface 86. Each of the arms 96 is provided with a recessed inner edge 98 forming a projecting finger 100 of reduced cross-sectional area for insertion into a shirt collar. Mounted on the outer surface of each of the fingers 100 is a projection102, which forms a limit for insertion of the shirt collar onto the fingers which operates in substantially the same manner as the plate 72 and the offset arm 32. The outer end of the finger 100 is rounded and the outer surface thereof outwardly of the projection 102 cooperates with the resilient gripping member 92 for gripping a shirt collar therebetween for anchoring the shirt collar in the desired manner. For causing the arms 96 to move inwardly and outwardly, there is a link 104 connected to each of the arms 96 intern1ediate the ends thereof and adjacent the offset edge 98 and the links 164 are articulatively interconnected by a pivot pin 166 which is elongated and projects above the h ousingin the form of a handle or handle rod 198. The housing 84 is provided with a slot for limiting the movement of the handle 68 whereby movement of the handle 108 towards the face of the housing 84 will cause the links 104 to move towards a position in alignment with each other thus extending. the arms Q6 outwardly in diverging relation. As the handle 108 is moved rearwardly so that the angle between the links 104 becomes more acute, then the arms 96 will be swung inwardly to a substantially parallel position.

A spring clip 112 is anchored to a depending flange 114 on the front or face of the housing 84 for resiliently gripping the handle 198 when the same is pulled forwardly for spreading the fingers 100 thus holding the fingers 100 in gripping relation to the shirt collar for retaining the shirt collar on the fingers 100 while the shirt is being manipulated.

The collar blocks of the invention may be employed with the front panel of the shirt facing upwardly or with the top. panel of the shirt facing downwardly with there only being provided a difference in the angle of crease employed in the shirt collar. These devices will retain the shirt securely and will at the same time fold the collar in such a manner that the portions of the collar will be folded flat against each other and substantially in parallel relation to the main panel of the shirt and substantially parallel to the table top surface.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and changes may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a supporting surface for a shirt, a pair of horizontally diverging members, means supporting said members from said surface for lateral inward and outward movement, means connected with said members for moving the members towards and away from each other whereby the members are adapted to engage the interior of a shirt collar at spaced points for blocking the collar, each of said members including an upwardly extending portion in perpendicular relation to the supporting surface, an inwardly extending portion at the upper end of the upwardly extending portion and being disposed parallel to the surface, an outwardly extending portion on the inner end of the inwardly extending portion, said outwardly extending portion being parallel with the supporting surface and disposed in acute angular relation to the inwardly extending portion for hooking engagement with the shirt collar and disposing the collar in substantially a horizontal plane.

2. A collar block comprising a pair of horizontally and oppositely movable shirt collar engaging elements, means mounting said elements on a table for movement in parallel relation to the table top surface, means for moving said elements outwardly and inwardly, said elements being mounted for pivotal movement about spaced vertical axes, the outer ends of said elements being in the form of shirt engaging fingers, said moving means including a pair of pivotally interconnected link having the outer ends thereof pivotally attached to said elements, and a handle connected to the point of interconnection between the links for moving the links from acute angular relation to substantial alignment for spreading the fingers outwardly and from alignment to actuate angular relation for moving the elements inwardly,

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein each element is provided with a projecting lug on the outer surface thereof for forming a limit of insertion of the element into the shirt collar.

4. A collar block comprising a work surface, a pair of oppositely movable shirt collar engaging members, means supporting said members for movement in parallel relation to the work surface, each of said members including a projecting finger for engaging the interior of a shirt collar with the remainder of the member being disposed exteriorly of the shirt, each of said members including means adapted to limit the insertion of the projecting finger into the collar, and abutments carried by the work surface in the path of outward movement of said fingers and coacting with said fingers for gripping a shirt collar therebetween when the fingers are moved outwardly in opposite directions.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4 wherein said shirt collar engaging members are interconnected by spring means resiliently urging the members towards each other thereby enabling disengagement of the projecting fingers from the interior or the shirt collar, said fingers having outer surfaces in diverging relation to each other when engaged with the interior of the collar for forming the collar with inclined creases therein.

6. The structure as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said abutments is provided with a resilient cushion theron to position the clamping engagement by the fingers thereby preventing damage to the shirt collar when it is clamped between the fingers and the abutments.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,367,261 Bicknell ct a1. Jan. 16, 1945 2,639,065 Forse et al. May 19, 1953 2,687,832 Westwood Aug. 31, 1954 2,732,981 Neckel Jan. 31, 1956 

